OG DAYV Elevates His Sound with New Album ‘The Most High’ [Interview]

The pros and cons of having a famous sibling are one set of things to deal with alongside having external voices doubting one's abilities. Now, here comes Multi-talented artist and producer OG DAYV, whose older brother is the man behind the acclaimed Black Panther movies. The rising act is slowly marking his territory as an artist to be reckoned with. With a handful of albums and mixtapes under his belt plus a Future-assisted song on the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack, I don't think OG DAVY is doing badly for himself. His latest album The Most High is a 7 track body of work that features appearances from Benny The Butcher and E-40, with production from his longtime collaborator Boom who laces him with a wide range of sounds ranging from dark and moody trap to hard-hitting boom-bap soul-infused beats. This new project The new album, follows his previous releases, I’ll Explain In A Minute & The Sour Diesel Eagle, which was released on 4/20. This project celebrated the intersection of hip-hop culture and cannabis, reflecting OG DAYV’s personal journey and creative expression.

In a conversation with OG DAVY, he opens up about his work process, inspirations and plans with music.

Can you walk us through your creative process for this album and how your personal experiences or current events influence the album?

During the 2020 lockdown I took advantage of the shelter in place by listening to my favorite rap albums and identifying what made them so impactful. I wanted to create a shirt and sweet collection of music that would show the versatility and the skill to the highest degree. The entire album was recorded in my garage studio (with some last minute vocal additions done at the grill in Emeryville). This was an album that was crafted without any outside influence, just me and my artistic expression coupled with the focus of 2020. Being forced to remain inside and stay safe kept me in this creative space that made building the album an overall pleasurable experience. Boom provided the perfect soundscape for me and I wrote and recorded the bull of the album between march 2020 – january 2021. Covid had the biggest impact on this album because it was created within these walls without any outside influences or contributions. DTB provided production on Meet Me on the Mountain and Ngawang Samphel provided instrumentation on Can’t Win, but outside of that, it was just me writing over beats Boom dropped in a drive folder. My process is simple and straightforward, write practice record when I’m ready. The original version of the album was 13 tracks long but I’m very happy we trimmed the fat and highlighted the gems, the remaining songs may come out some day but no promises.

How did you approach the album’s artwork and visual presentation?

Huge thank you and shoutout to Imara McMillan, she’s an artist based out of Oakland and she’s incredibly gifted and patient. We approached her about about work over 3 years ago and it took all this time to get it perfect and ready for distribution. My original goal was to have the artwork remind listeners of Shel Silverstein, the late great author poet. The black and white exaggerated features really captured the idea and visual representation I had in mind when i was writing the album. We created some beautiful merch and the artwork had been well received amongst listeners and supporters. Im a big fan of psychedelic mushrooms and I wanted the art to feel like maybe you’re tripping out a little bit.

How do you balance staying true to your artistic vision with the expectations of your audience?

I make music for me, it’s therapeutic. I’ve had enough OGs tell me to stay true to the artistic vision, the real fans will allow you to grow, mature and evolve as an artist and person. I respect artists that make shit for the fans though, we need them. They make the industry turn, when you can turn your experience into connecting points, that means more to me than chasing the sound that the fans want. I love when the music connects its a super rewarding experience, but I also love challenging myself creatively and just seeing where the music ends up if I follow the creative road.

You worked with the OG E-40 on “Dorsiflex” and Benny the Butcher on “Whole Pie,” two songs with distinctly different styles. How did you come up with those songs in particular?

Aww man huge shout out to 40 water and Benny. I still can’t believe I got records with these two legends. Dorsiflex was a lyrical exercise honestly, then beat felt like a cypher beat and it was in need of some gas. Linking up with 40 is a dream come true honestly. He’s a rap legend not just a Bay Area legend and his contributions to the game can’t be calculated. The benefit of knowing mutual people aided in us securing Benny and 40 features so i I always say doing good business will always put you in position to win. Linking with Benny in LA was an honor and a privilege, my manager hit me like how fast can you get down here; Benny here working. I was in LA 3 hours later shoutout Dlo for snagging me from Bob Hope.

Are there any particular songs you’re excited to perform live?

I got a show coming up on October 25th in oakland at the new parish and I can’t wait to go "Red Dot" and "Dorsiflex." They both have good live energy and it’ll be a blast performing 40 waters contributions. There’s a bunch of songs I’ve not had the opportunity to perform live so I’m itching to get those goin for the people. There’s a bunch of b side cuts that people love that I have yet to do live so I’m hopeful I’ll get to do those as well.

What message or feeling do you hope listeners take away from this album?

The message that I hope listeners gain from the album is persistence. The opening track is called meet me on the mountain and it’s a testament to sticking to journey and believing in what’s at the top of the peak. It’s a story of giving all that you have to the grind and not stopping to admire to the view. You’ll face obstacles and adversaries but it’s all sort of the quest. The Most High is a story of victory and reflection. Enjoy the album and continue to fly.